Load-trimmer.



J. DYKES. 'LoAn TRIMMER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28. |914.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTU-LITHOA. WASHINGION, D4 C4 l. DYKES.

LOAD TRIMMER.

APPLICATnoN FILED JULY 28. 1914.

Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 @wi/knagen THE NORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTaLITHO.. WASHINGroN, r1 C JAMES DYKES, 0F NEW BJOCKFORD, NORTH DAKOTA.

LOAD-TRIMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed July 28, 1914. Serial No. 853,681.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES DYKES, citizen of the United States, residing at New Rockford, in the county of Eddy and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Load-Trimmers, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to devices for trimming the loads upon railway cars, more particularly to loads of lumber, timber, telegraph poles, and similar material, and has for one of its objects to provide a simply constructed device whereby the material when displaced endwise by the jars and concussions incident to the movements of the trains can be easily restored to position without removal from the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily transferred from place to place and applied wherever required, or located at some one point and the cars which require their loads to be retrimmed moved into convenient position for the apparatus.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention rFigure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device applied to a railway track and to the portion of a freight car having the representation of a load of lumber therej on with the device arranged to trim the same. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged details illustrating the construction of the trimming beam including the antifrictional terminal roller of the same. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 are perspective details illustra-ting the construction of the beam elevating derrick or frame. Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. j

Lumber, timber, telegraph poles, logs, and like material are usually shipped upon flat cars and maintained in position from lateral displacement by stakes and the like, but owing to the length of such material it is not generally possible to prevent displacement endwise, consequently it frequently happens that car loads of lumber or like material are displaced endwise by the severe shock and concussions to which the cars are subjected when running over the track, and it has been heretofore a diiiicult matter to replace such loads, frequently requiring the unloading of the cars and their reloading with the material properly placed relative to the car. The device of applicant is designed to enable such displaced material to be quickly and easily retrimmed, and restored to its original position without removal from the car or otherwise displacing the loads.

he improved device may be applied to the load at any desired point, but will generally be located upon a siding or what is known as a rip track which are located at divers points, at stations, or other localities, and when one or more cars of a train are found to require the retrimming of the load, such cars are switched to a side track or rip track where the improved apparatus is located.

While the improved apparatus is preferably located upon a side track and the ears switched to position relative to the apparatus, it is not desired to limit in any manner the improved device relative to its location, as the apparatus is readily transferable to any convenient point.

The improved apparatus comprises a relatively stifl beam of any required length and of any suitable material,` but preferably of steel of I beam form as shown, and about twenty-four feet long. The beam is represented asa whole at 10 and is preferably slightly curved at 11 at one end and resting upon a transverse support 12 which bears over the rails of the track, the latter being indicated conventionally at 13. The support 12 bears loosely upon the rails 13, While the curved terminal 11 of the beam 10 rests loosely upon the support 12. At its free end the beam 10 is provided with a bearing roller 14, preferably secured to the beam by channel bars 15 bolted or otherwise secured at 16 upon opposite sides of the web portion of the beam as illustrated more fully in Figs. 4 and 5. The beam 10 is provided with a bail 17 near its curved terminal 11 to which a wire cable 18 is connected. A section of chain 19 is employed and having means such as a grab hook 20 at one end for engaging the cable 18 and with a hook 21 at the other end adapted to engage around one of the axles of the car whose load is to be trimmed, the body of the car being indicated conventionally at 56 and the aXle at 57. A bail 23 is connected preferably to the members 15 of the beam and to which a pulling chain 24 is connected.

Bearing over the rails 13 near the car is a timber 25 which is coupled to the rails by clip devices. The construction of the clip devices is illustrated more fully in Fig. 8, and each consists of a plate 26 bearing beneath the rails and bent into a rail flange engaging hook 27 at one end and an eye 28 at the other end. A loop device 29 is arranged to swing in the eye 28 and engage over the timber 25, and thus couple the latter firmly to the rails, while at the same time readily adjustable thereon.

An operating lever 30 is provided with a hook 31 near one end to enable it to be connected adjustably to the chain 24, and adapted to engage by its shorter end beneath the timber 25, the latter serving as a fulcrum. By this means an effective and downward pull may be imparted to the beam l0 to cause the roller 14 to bear forcibly against the pro- 'jecting portions of the load of the car and thus move the projecting portion endwise and force it back to its proper position relative to the car.

Generally a bearing member 32 is disposed between the roller 14 and the members of the load of the car as illustrated in Fig. l, wherein the load is represented as made up of boards 33 and supported from lateral displacement by stakes 34 which are retained in position by rider members 35 which connect the stakes above the load in the usual manner. Generally the boards 33 are of uniform widths and piled in vertical columns as illustrated. ln Fig. 3 the improved device is shown as having partly restored the load and in position to operate upon the remaining and displaced portions of the load. When the device is applied to loads of boards as shown each column of boards will be moved simultaneously longitudinally of the car, the vertical member 32 permitting this movement, as will be obvious. In Fig. 3 five columns of the boards are represented as having been restored to position while the remaining columns of boards are still projecting and in position to be acted upon by the trimming member. When the first displaced member of the load is to be restored the member 10 together with the hanger` 15 and roller 14 is elevated until the roller is above the line of the load on the car. The car is then moved toward the member 10 and the cable 18 and chain 19 coupled by the hook 21 to the aXle in position to maintain the car in proper position relative to member 10. The member 10 is then forced downwardly through the action of the lever 30, and the hook 31 being coupled to links of the chain as the beam is lowered. By this means the beam is moved into its lowered position step by step by manipulating the lever 30 as will be obvious. When the projecting portions ofthe load have been moved a distance equal to the distance of the throw of the beam, the latter is elevated The beam 10 being of metal and necesV sarily of sufficient rigidity to accomplish the desired results is necessarily heavy, and means are provided in the improved apparatus for elevating the beam to enable a car to be adjusted, and this elevating apparatus comprises an L-shaped frame, preferably formed of steam or gas piping, and comprises an upper horizontal portion y36 and vertical portion 37 coupled by an elbow as shown. The portion 36 is provided near the elbow with a socket 38, while the member 37 is provided with similar socket 39 to receive the terminals of a brace member which is preferably formed of a T bar 40 as represented in Figi7 with the .flanges cut away Y. at the ends and leaving theY web portionV projecting to enter the sockets 38 and 39. By this means the brace is firmly supported in position and effectually anchored to support the framemembers. Tie'members 41 are coupled between the horizontal upper frame member 36 and the brace 40, while a similar tie member 42 couples the vertical side members 37 of the frame tothe brace, the tie members crossing each other as shown. By this means a very strong der- Y rick frame is produced which will resist the strainto which it will be subjected when in use. At its lower end the vertical portions 37 ofthe frame bears upon ay supporting device similar to the supporting device illustrated in my application for patent filed July 21, 1913, Serial No. 780,289, and Vcomprising a lower horizontal portion 43 and a vertical portion 44, the portions 43-44 being formed integral and preferably formed from a T bar. At its inner end the hori- Zontal portion 43 is drawn into a hook 45 to engage over the flange ofthe adjacent rail 13. The two portions 43-44 are supported and secured by a diagonal brace 46, and the vertical portion 44 is provided with loops 47 spaced apart to engage around the vertical member 46 and support the same.

Extending transversely of thefhorizontal portion 43 is a support 48, preferably of a T bar, and bearing upon .the upper face of 48 is a brace member 49 which extends toward the rail and bears against the web and beneath the head of the same. By this means the frame 36-37 is rmly supported in vertical position relative to the track.

Movably engaging the horizontal portion 86 of the frame is a traveler device 50 including a pulley 51 running upon the member 36 and a chain pulley 52 depending below the member 36. The beam l0 is provided with a bail 53 to which a pull chain 54C is connected and passed thence over the chain pulley 52. By this means the beam 10 may be lifted to any required extent by actuating the pull chain 54, and moved to any required position laterally through the action of the pulley 51 as will be obvious. By this means the beam may be moved laterally or vertically to any required point to lbring the bearing roller 14 against any portion of the load upon the car, or to elevate the beam when it is to be readjusted relative to the load.

The free end of the member 36 is provided with a cap 55 to prevent the roller 51 from running oit from the end.

The members 36-37 with their attachments constitute a derrick or crane like device which will swing laterally relative to the track and may be arranged outside of either rail, or between the rails as may be preferred.

The improved device is simple in construction and can be readily adapted to trim loads of various materials upon cars and will be found very convenient and useful for the purposes described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a load trimming apparatus, an evener member adapted to bear against the material to be trimmed, a beam operating against said evener member, a holding device connected to said beam and adapted to be connected to the structure which carries the load to be trimmed, and means for forcibly depressing said beam.

2. In a car load trimming apparatus a beam adapted to bear against the material to be trimmed, means adapted to hold said beam spaced relation to the car, a frame including a horizontal upper member and a vertical side member rigidly united, braces extending between the side members and the top member of the frame, and tie rods connecting the braces respectively to the frame members.

3. In a car load trimming apparatus a beam adapted to bear against the material to be trimmed, a holding device connected to said beam and adapted to be connected to the car which carries the load to be trimmed, and means for forcibly depressing the beam.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DYKES. [1.. s.]

Witnesses:

H. F. RIORDAN, C. H. CRAIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

